This post is a part of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge by Amy Johnson Crow at www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/.
Challenge
I buried my father today.
Not the challenge I was going to post about this week. He had cancer and was five minutes into his first chemotherapy treatment.
At first, I thought I would discuss my challenges with my family tree. Such as having a family full of common names. Having a family who were poor farmers with no paper trail. Or perhaps the numerous trees that connect people (such as adding a father to John “Jacky” Morris) when there isn’t one or any sort of connection makes no sense.
However, I decided instead to consider some of the challenges some of my ancestors likely faced. Until Thursday. Since then, this particular challenge has weighed heavily. I was always a daddy’s girl and always will be.
It’s not my ancestor’s challenge, but mine. Dealing with having lost both parents at 45. Suddenly. Even though my father had cancer, his body and heart were what gave out. I’m glad it was at the beginning of his treatment and not the end. I’m glad he has won this battle. He didn’t give cancer the chance to win.
He loved knives and guns and particularly old cars. His favorite was a 35 Master Coupe. As the obituary said, he never met a stranger. I smiled when I read that. It was true. He worked hard and would give the shirt off his back if he knew it would help someone else.
Today I said goodbye to the first man I ever loved.
Challenge.
Randy Harris Morris
Born: November 16, 1948
Married Katherine Smith Morris: November 27, 1969
Married Lois Harris Taylor: July 23, 2017
Died: January 10, 2019
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